Take Control of Your Time as a Business Owner | Episode 317

Take Control of Your Time as a Business Owner | Episode 317

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 317 | Take Control of Your Time as a Business Owner

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 317 | Take Control of Your Time as a Business Owner | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Listen on:  Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

Episode Overview: 

Of course you love what you do – and that’s why you started your business. But perhaps you also took this leap because you wanted more control over your schedule and more freedom to do the things you love outside of work.

This episode centers around answering a question that has come up countless times in my years as a retail coach and that I have even grappled with in the past as a business owner: where should I be spending my time? As business owners, we have three major resources to manage: time, money, and capacity or energy. Time is finite, which means we have to be intentional about how we use it. 

We’re covering a lot of ground in this episode from setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, why you should plan your week around the life you want to live now, and a time management framework that helps me think about where my time is best spent as CEO of my business. 

I hope from this episode you’ll think about what you really want in your life and then reverse engineer your business time to reflect your life goals and needs.

Our Key Topics:

  • Why work expands to fill the time available and how setting clear boundaries can change that (Parkinson’s Law at work!)
  • How to build a life-first business by defining personal needs and capacity before determining work hours
  • Why the business owner’s role needs to evolve as the business grows, including shifting from founder to CEO
  • What CEO and business development time should include, from planning and financials to marketing, sales, and customer experience
  • How to protect your time, energy, and capacity by reducing time spent on administrative and repeatable tasks

Key Takeaways For Shop Owners

  • Your personal time needs boundaries, too.
    Stop thinking you need to work all the time. I’ve learned that I have to define my own boundaries around when I work and when I’m finished, because there will always be something else I could be doing in my business.
  • Your business gets to fit into your life.
    Look honestly at what your life needs right now, whether that means time off, family time, travel, creative time, or simply space to enjoy your life. Then you can determine how much work time actually fits.
  • Your CEO time cannot be the first thing to go when you are short on time.
    Business development includes planning, financials, decision-making, vision, and intentional learning. I’ve found that this is often the first category to disappear when things get busy, even though it is where the business needs leadership most. This is so important.
  • Not everything that feels productive is moving the business forward.
    I want to distinguish between meaningful marketing and sales work and simply staying busy with activities like posting on social media. Dedicated time for strategy, events, emails, launches, customer experience, merchandising, conversion, and other sales activities matters.
  • You must protect your energy.
    Our businesses can only grow when we are taking care of ourselves and protecting our energy. I see this as part of leadership because the energy and enthusiasm at the top of the business affect the culture and the people who interact with it.

Want to work with me to plan out your week? I’m hosting a workshop on September 29th to help you do just that! Join me for Your Week By Design on September 29th.

Wendy Batten's Creative Entrepreneur Time Pyramid
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“Our businesses can only grow if we protect the asset. And we are the asset.” -Wendy Batten

Resources Mentioned and Related Episodes:

Are you ready to stop duct taping your marketing pieces together? To start putting real strategy in place that actually worked for your business around your marketing? The Sales and Marketing Accelerator Program is available on demand.

Head on over to the Work With Me page to register for the Your Week by Design workshop!

Episode 263: Why CEO Time Isn’t Optional in Your Retail Business

Let’s hang out in a private coaching session!

Follow along and chat with me on Instagram and join my love list.

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 317 | Take Control of Your Time as a Business Owner | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met…I’m Wendy Batten. I’ve been a small business owner, coach, and mentor for over 25 years. I help thoughtful, established entrepreneurs step into their role as CEO and build businesses that are profitable, meaningful, and supportive of the lives they want to live. My work blends real-world strategy with a life-first philosophy, shaped by lived experience, not theory. I’ve been there! Through honest conversations and practical insight, I invite you into bigger thinking about leadership, possibility, and how to build both business and life on purpose.

For more support from Wendy:

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s current programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Never miss an episode!  Subscribe to the Creative Shop Talk Podcast and get the tools, inspiration, and strategies you need to thrive as an independent retailer. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! 

Loved the episode? Leave a quick review on iTunes– your reviews help other retailers find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

How to Build a Business That Works for Your Life | Episode 316

How to Build a Business That Works for Your Life | Episode 316

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 316 | How to Build a Business That Works for Your Life

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 316 | How to Build a Business That Works for Your Life | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Listen on:  Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

Episode Overview: 

I’m back after taking a longer-than-expected summer pause from the podcast! That pause gave me space to think about what I want next for my business, what I want my life to look like, and how those two things fit together. After years of building, coaching, and running a business, I’ve been thinking a lot about what deserves my energy and what no longer needs to come along for the climb.

In this episode, I’m sharing some of the questions I’ve been working through with clients and myself. I talk about business seasons, celebrating the times when things are going well, recognizing that there will always be another mountain to climb, and making sure we are not carrying unnecessary weight up that mountain.

Most of all, I want us to think beyond simply building a bigger business. I want to build a business that works for the life I want, and I want you to consider what your business needs to do for you, personally, financially, and for your dreams.

Our Key Topics:

  • Why taking a pause can create space to think about what I actually want from my business
  • How different business seasons can shape what my business needs to look like right now
  • What my fuels and drains reveal about the work, people, and parts of my business that deserve my energy
  • How removing fear, guilt, sunk cost, and other people’s expectations can help me make intentional business decisions
  • Why the goal isn’t always bigger and better, but building a business that works for my life with intention, energy, and fun

Key Takeaways For Shop Owners

  • A pause does not mean I’ve stopped building.
    I took time away from the podcast while still working deeply with clients, hosting retreats, and thinking about what comes next. Sometimes creating space is part of moving forward.
  • I need to know what I actually want from my business.
    That includes what I need from it personally and financially, how it supports my dreams, and whether the meaningful parts of the work are still lighting me up.
  • I can make decisions without being ruled by fear, guilt, sunk costs, or other people’s expectations.
    Removing those things helps me look at what I would choose to build intentionally rather than simply continuing what already exists.
  • There will always be another mountain.
    Business will have highs, dips, and new challenges. I cannot eliminate every hard season, but I can pay attention to how I’m climbing and whether I have the right people and the right load with me.
  • Bigger and better is not always the goal.
    I’m thinking more about designing a business with intention, energy, enthusiasm, and fun instead of treating growth as the only measure of success.

“If I remove fear, guilt, sunk cost, and other people’s expectations, what would I build on purpose?”

I hope this episode gives you a little space to think about what you want from your business, what you’re carrying with you, and what you might choose to build on purpose. How can I help you run the business of your dreams while also living your life?

Check in with me!

Resources Mentioned and Related Episodes:

Episode 315: What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth

Let’s hang out in a private coaching session!

Follow along and chat with me on Instagram and join my love list.

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 316 | How to Build a Business That Works for Your Life | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met…I’m Wendy Batten. I’ve been a small business owner, coach, and mentor for over 25 years. I help thoughtful, established entrepreneurs step into their role as CEO and build businesses that are profitable, meaningful, and supportive of the lives they want to live. My work blends real-world strategy with a life-first philosophy, shaped by lived experience, not theory. I’ve been there! Through honest conversations and practical insight, I invite you into bigger thinking about leadership, possibility, and how to build both business and life on purpose.

For more support from Wendy:

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s current programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Never miss an episode!  Subscribe to the Creative Shop Talk Podcast and get the tools, inspiration, and strategies you need to thrive as an independent retailer. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! 

Loved the episode? Leave a quick review on iTunes– your reviews help other retailers find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth | Episode 315

What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth | Episode 315

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 315 | What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 315 | What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Listen on:  Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

 

A profitable, smooth holiday season is not a lucky accident. It’s what happens when someone who actually prepared gets to execute. And the best time to prepare? July. Join me and other retailers in Camp Q4 this summer to set yourself up for a kick-butt Q4! Camp begins with a fireside chat (opening coaching) on July 13th. Grab your sit-upon (fellow Girl Scouts unite!) and join me!

Episode Overview: 

I recently hosted my Level Up Mastermind members for a retreat in my town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.  I received so many questions about what actually happens during a retreat like this so I’ve decided to pull back the curtain and share what we do, why we do it, and what I’ve learned from gathering ambitious retailers together in person.

I talk about how important in-person relationships are, some reflections on how things went, a little business strategy, and leadership development: everything that happens at my low-key high impact retreat. I also share some of my own observations about building a business that aligns with your values rather than following someone else’s formula.

If you’ve ever wondered how business growth, meaningful conversations, accountability, and life-first leadership come together in a retail business retreat setting, this episode offers a look behind the scenes.

Our Key Topics:

  • Why relationships and community matter in business growth
  • What it takes to build a healthy, sustainable business
  • What we did at the retreat: the nuts and bolts of our few days together
  • Why there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success
  • What a life-first business really looks like

Key Takeaways For Shop Owners

  • Your business should support your life, not consume it.
    Throughout the retreat, we focused on the idea that business owners should design their businesses around the life they want to live. Rather than letting business take every available resource, the goal is to create a business that works for you.

     

  • Healthy businesses require healthy leaders.
    We spent time discussing how leaders allocate these resources and how thoughtful decisions in these areas affect both personal well-being and business performance. 
  • Growth happens through both strategy, reflection, and community.
    Business progress is not only about learning new tactics. Some of the most meaningful breakthroughs happened during dinners, conversations, and quiet moments when members had time to process ideas and gain new perspectives.

     

  • Frameworks are useful, but they should be adapted to fit your business.
    There are proven principles and structures that support success, but each retailer must apply them in a way that reflects their own goals, values, and strengths. 
  • Relationships remain one of the most powerful assets in business.
    This may be my favorite takeaway. From shared learning sessions to informal conversations, the retreat reinforced the value of surrounding yourself with people who challenge, encourage, and support your growth.

“Relationships are rocket fuel.”

As I reflect on this retreat, I’m reminded that meaningful business growth often comes from creating space to think, connect, and build a business that truly supports the life you want.  Check in with me!

Resources Mentioned and Related Episodes:

Episode 246: 5 Minute Marketing Tips: Relationships are Rocket Fuel

Episode 260: Winning with Community in Your Retail Business: Takeaways from my Mastermind Retreat

Let’s hang out in a private coaching session!

Follow along and chat with me on Instagram and join my love list.

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 315 | What Really Happens at a Mastermind Retreat and Why It Matters for Business Growth | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met…I’m Wendy Batten. I’ve been a small business owner, coach, and mentor for over 25 years. I help thoughtful, established entrepreneurs step into their role as CEO and build businesses that are profitable, meaningful, and supportive of the lives they want to live. My work blends real-world strategy with a life-first philosophy, shaped by lived experience, not theory. I’ve been there! Through honest conversations and practical insight, I invite you into bigger thinking about leadership, possibility, and how to build both business and life on purpose.

For more support from Wendy:

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s current programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Never miss an episode!  Subscribe to the Creative Shop Talk Podcast and get the tools, inspiration, and strategies you need to thrive as an independent retailer. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! 

Loved the episode? Leave a quick review on iTunes– your reviews help other retailers find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

The Memento Generation: Creating More Meaningful Buying Experiences in Retail | Episode 314

The Memento Generation: Creating More Meaningful Buying Experiences in Retail | Episode 314

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 314 | The Memento Generation: Creating More Meaningful Buying Experiences in Retail

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 314 | The Memento Generation: Creating More Meaningful Buying Experiences in Retail | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Listen on:  Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

Episode Overview: 

Fresh off my Level Up Mastermind retreat with retailers from around the world, I’m reflecting on something that feels increasingly important in retail right now: experiences. Your customers are looking for connection, meaning, and events they can remember. 

In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on some of the findings from a research report from  the Portas Agency titled “The Momento Generation”. The concept explores how many younger consumers are placing greater value on memories, shared experiences, and stories over simply acquiring more stuff/consumerism.

As independent retailers, this gives us an opportunity to think differently about how we serve our customers. I explore why creating memorable moments may matter more than ever and what that could look like inside our shops and communities.

Our Key Topics:

  • What the “Memento Generation” is and why it matters for understanding changing consumer behavior.
  • Why younger consumers are prioritizing experiences, memories, and meaning over simply acquiring more products.
  • How independent retailers can create memorable customer experiences that go beyond convenience and transactions.
  • What belonging, community, and shared moments mean for brick-and-mortar businesses today.
  • Why the experience surrounding a product can influence purchasing decisions as much as the product itself.

Key Takeaways For Shop Owners on Meaningful Buying

  • Customers are seeking meaning as much as merchandise.
    The research from the Portas Agency suggests that many consumers are asking questions beyond “What can I buy?” They’re considering how purchases make them feel, what memories they create, and who they can share those experiences with.
  • Independent retailers are uniquely positioned to create memorable experiences.
    Fast, cheap, and convenient options are widely available. What independent retailers can offer is something more personal, memorable, and difficult to replicate.
  • The focus shifts from selling products to creating moments.
    Rather than asking how to sell more items, consider how they can create experiences customers remember and talk about long after a purchase.
  • Community and connection continue to matter.
    Whether through gatherings, events, conversations, or shared experiences, creating opportunities for people to connect can strengthen the role your business plays in their lives.
  • The product still matters, but the experience around it matters too.
    The research isn’t suggesting products are unimportant. Instead, it highlights how the surrounding experience, presentation, and emotional connection can increasingly influence purchasing decisions.

“The future belongs to businesses that are creating memories, not just transactions.”

What moments are your customers taking home with them beyond the products they purchase? I’d love to hear from you in my Instagram DMs. Check in with me!

Resources Mentioned and Related Episodes:

The Portas Agency Report: The Momento Generation

Episode 202:Why Every Retail Store Should Consider Selling Souvenirs

Episode 245: Best of Series: Retail Marketing from Gen Z to Boomers

A profitable, smooth holiday season is not a lucky accident. It’s what happens when someone who actually prepared gets to execute. And the best time to prepare? July. Join me and other retailers in Camp Q4 this summer to set yourself up for a kick-butt Q4! Camp begins with a fireside chat (opening coaching) on July 13th. Grab your sit-upon (fellow Girl Scouts unite!) and join me!

Let’s hang out in a private coaching session!

Follow along and chat with me on Instagram and join my love list.

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 314 | The Memento Generation: Creating More Meaningful Buying Experiences in Retail | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met…I’m Wendy Batten. I’ve been a small business owner, coach, and mentor for over 25 years. I help thoughtful, established entrepreneurs step into their role as CEO and build businesses that are profitable, meaningful, and supportive of the lives they want to live. My work blends real-world strategy with a life-first philosophy, shaped by lived experience, not theory. I’ve been there! Through honest conversations and practical insight, I invite you into bigger thinking about leadership, possibility, and how to build both business and life on purpose.

For more support from Wendy:

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s current programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Never miss an episode!  Subscribe to the Creative Shop Talk Podcast and get the tools, inspiration, and strategies you need to thrive as an independent retailer. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! 

Loved the episode? Leave a quick review on iTunes– your reviews help other retailers find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

Why Community Is the Future of Retail with Guest Expert Mark Schaefer | Episode 313

Why Community Is the Future of Retail with Guest Expert Mark Schaefer | Episode 313

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Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 313 | Why Community Is the Future of Retail with Guest Expert Mark Schaefer

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 313 | Why Community Is the Future of Retail with Guest Expert Mark Schaefer | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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With Retail Coach Wendy Batten

Listen on:  Apple Podcasts |Spotify | Radio Republic | YouTube | PlayerFM | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

Episode Overview: 

In this episode, I sit down with best-selling marketing author and speaker Mark Schaefer to talk about what matters most for independent retailers in a world that’s being increasingly shaped by AI. While technology continues to change how customers find the places they love to shop, Mark makes a compelling case that the strongest advantage for brick-and-mortar retailers is still something AI cannot replicate: a completely human experience.

We talk about the role of personal branding, community, experiences, and transcendent content in modern retail. Mark shares why human-centered meaningful relationships matter more than marketing tricks and how shop owners can create businesses that people genuinely want to belong to.

If you are interested in standing out amongst your peers, staying relevant, and building lasting customer loyalty, we recorded this episode to remind you that being human is your biggest asset in your retail business.

Our Key Topics:

  • Why AI is changing marketing and customer discovery, and where independent retailers still have an advantage
  • How personal branding helps shop owners build trust and stronger customer relationships
  • What experiences, hospitality, and human connection can offer that technology cannot
  • Why storytelling matters, including Mark’s AIR framework: Authentic, Interesting, and Relevant
  • How community differs from an audience, and why belonging creates lasting loyalty
  • What it means to build a business that is meaningful to customers, not just visible

Key Takeaways For Shop Owners on Personal Branding and Community Building

  • Your personal brand is a competitive advantage.
    Mark emphasizes that customers can build relationships with local business owners, employees, and other customers in ways they never can with large online retailers. Being visible, present, and connected to your community helps create trust that technology cannot replace. 
  • Community creates loyalty that marketing alone cannot.
    When customers form relationships with each other through your business, the goodwill from those friendships transfers back to your brand. People continue showing up because they feel connected, not just because they need whatever it is that you are selling. 
  • Stories help customers remember and share your business.
    Mark encourages retailers to tell stories in every customer interaction. Stories give people something meaningful to talk about and create connections that extend beyond a transaction. 
  • The AIR framework can guide better storytelling.
    Stories should be Authentic, Interesting, and Relevant. When customers hear stories that meet those criteria, they are more likely to remember them and share them with others. 
  • Meaning matters more than trying to win every technology battle.
    Rather than obsessing over search rankings or AI visibility, Mark encourages business owners to focus on becoming meaningful to the people they serve. Businesses that create emotional connections have an advantage that technology cannot easily replicate.

“The most human company wins.” – Mark Schaefer, Marketing Rebellion

This conversation left me so giddy. I love the reminder that our greatest opportunity as shop owners isn’t simply selling products. It’s creating places where people feel seen, connected, and part of something meaningful.

Resources Mentioned and Related Episodes:

A profitable, smooth holiday season is not a lucky accident. It’s what happens when someone who actually prepared gets to execute. And the best time to prepare? July. Join me and other retailers in Camp Q4 this summer to set yourself up for a kick-butt Q4! Camp begins with a fireside chat (opening coaching) on July 13th. Grab your sit-upon (fellow Girl Scouts unite!) and join me!

Episode 260: Winning with Community in Your Retail Business: Takeaways from my Mastermind Retreat

Episode 238: Behind the Counter: Building Community Through Beautiful Spaces with Lisa Wrixon

Let’s hang out in a private coaching session!

Follow along and chat with me on Instagram and join my love list.

Creative Shop Talk Podcast Episode 313 | Why Community Is the Future of Retail with Guest Expert Mark Schaefer | with Retail Coach Wendy Batten
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About Your Host, Wendy Batten:

In case we haven’t met…I’m Wendy Batten. I’ve been a small business owner, coach, and mentor for over 25 years. I help thoughtful, established entrepreneurs step into their role as CEO and build businesses that are profitable, meaningful, and supportive of the lives they want to live. My work blends real-world strategy with a life-first philosophy, shaped by lived experience, not theory. I’ve been there! Through honest conversations and practical insight, I invite you into bigger thinking about leadership, possibility, and how to build both business and life on purpose.

For more support from Wendy:

Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG

All of Wendy’s current programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE. 

Never miss an episode!  Subscribe to the Creative Shop Talk Podcast and get the tools, inspiration, and strategies you need to thrive as an independent retailer. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! 

Loved the episode? Leave a quick review on iTunes– your reviews help other retailers find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

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